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Sloppy Joes (vegan)

When I turned vegetarian, there were items that are a staple in some vegetarian diets that I didn’t want to eat.

I stayed away from textured vegetable protein and after you grow up around soy beans, tofu is not that appealing. I geared my diet towards using vegetables and grains as staples.

My bulgar chili was my first trial run with vegan dishes that still had some texture to it. I loved the chili and soon realized how much I loved using bulgar as a replacement for meat. When cooked, bulgar keeps a firmer texture and doesn’t get too soft.

I find that the texture of bulgar is perfect for sloppy joes and soaks up the flavors that are added to the mix. I love this recipe- after a few years of working with more vegetables and grains, I realize that the vegetarian/vegan possibilities are endless!

Have a good weekend everyone! I am on the last day of band camp today!

In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers to the pan, cooking until the onions become slightly translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes more.

Next, stir in bulgar and let toast for 1-2 minutes. Add in ½ cup of water and the strained tomatoes. Turn heat down to medium-low and continue to cook the mixture uncovered, adding more water as needed up bulgar reaches the right consistency. (I like mine to be slightly al dente.)

Once bulgar reaches your desired consistency, stir in the remaining ingredients and cook for 5-6 minutes. Taste and adjust any of the ingredients to reach desired taste. (I tend to like a little heat with less sweet.)

Grab a bun, dish on top, and serve with some tasty homemade french fries! This also is great for leftovers!

Thank you so much for posting this!! I have tried a number of vegetarian sloppy joe recipes over the years, but they always come out tasting more like chili than sloppy joes and the texture is usually all wrong. I’ve often thought that bulger would be a good substitute for the texture, but I’m not good at creating a “from scratch” recipe of my own. I tried your recipe last week and it was SO good! My husband (a meat eater) loved them, too. The texture was perfect and they tasted great! Nice work!

I stumbled onto your blog after searching for vegetarian sloppy joes, and was intrigued by how you used bulgar. Never having used it before, I gave your recipe a try. It was delicious! My fiance and I loved it! Can’t wait to try some of your other recipes, too!

I haven’t made sloppy joes since turning veggie/vegan and I saw a recent recipe that interested me. I, too, found your post by searching for sloppy joes and would love to use it, as I’ve also never used bulgar before!